Arsenal v Nottingham Forest: Back Gunners to win with two Bet Builders

• Gunners' home form is exceptional

• Forest lost this fixture 5-0 last term

• Havertz foul the key to 11/102.11 Bet Builder

• New 90 Minute Payout offer explained here

• Claim your free acca here!

Arsenal v Nottingham Forest
Saturday 12 August, 12:30
Live on TNT Sports

Gunners have retooled for title push

Arsenal's title dreams turned to dust last season, but it was still a hugely positive campaign. Mikel Arteta's side didn't quite last the pace in their race with Manchester City, and a lack of squad depth ultimately proved crucial.

Key centre-back William Saliba suffered a back injury before the latter stages of the season, and the drop-off between the French international and players like Rob Holding was just too significant.

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Arteta hopes that a lavish summer of spending will have plugged the gaps. The British record capture of England and West Ham midfielder Declan Rice has lifted the quality of the midfield, Chelsea's Kai Havertz can play as an attacking number eight, a wide forward or as an auxiliary centre-forward, and former Ajax defender Jurrien Timber can operate at centre-back, right-back or in a defensive midfield role.

With a plethora of multi-functional players at his disposal, Arteta should be able to make a good fist of balancing a return to the Champions League with domestic duties.

Although we can never put too much faith in the Community Shield as a bellwether, the weekend's penalty shoot-out win over Manchester City was an early boost, even if it did require the most last-gasp of last-gasp equalisers from Leandro Trossard. Any success against City is an important psychological step.

An injury to Gabriel Jesus is an early test of that squad depth (the Brazilian isn't expected back before September), and is does seem curious that Folarin Balogun is apparently surplus to requirements after a fine season on loan at Reims in Ligue 1.

Havertz filled in at Wembley, and failed to take advantage of some presentable opportunities. Jorginho missed the Wembley clash with a slight muscle injury, but is in line to return.

Forest hoping for calmer season

It took a while to turn the campaign around, but Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper managed to keep his job, and then managed to keep his club in the Premier League. An extraordinarily prolific transfer campaign gave Cooper a lot of man-managing and chaff-sorting to do, but he eventually settled on his best 15 or 16 players.

Brennan Johnson, Morgan-Gibbs White and Taiwo Awoniyi were the outstanding attacking performers, while the January acquisition of veteran centre-back Felipe gave the team some much-needed quality and experience at the back.

Goalkeepers Dean Henderson and Keylor Navas have both gone, but the signing of American Matt Turner from Arsenal should solve that issue. Forest have been a lot calmer in the market this summer, although they have high hopes for winger Anthony Elanga, who has been signed permanently from Manchester United.

If Forest are to avoid the drop in a less fraught way this term (only a win over Arsenal in the penultimate game saw them survive last term), Cooper must find a way to address the team's away form.

Last season it was pretty atrocious, as the East Midlands side lost 13 of their top-flight road matches and only won once. At the Emirates last season, Forest were dismantled 5-0.

Arsenal's home form must be respected

Arteta has restored the Emirates to the fortress it once was, and now it's one of the toughest places to go and get a result. Arsenal have won 17 of their last 22 home games in the Premier League, and in recent seasons they have been merciless against bottom-half sides.

Their only home defeats in the league last term were against Manchester City and Brighton, and stretching back further they have lost just six of their last 40 top-flight outings on their own turf.

I'll use the Sportsbook's Bet Builder to back Arsenal -1 on the Handicap, Over 7.5 Corners and Kai Havertz to commit at least one foul at 11/102.11. Havertz committed 60 fouls in the Premier League last season, and only Moises Caicedo and Joelinton committed more.

Gunners' stars can shine

If you want a shots angle, you could do a lot worse than backing both Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard to have at least a shot on target each, Over 1.5 Goals and Arsenal to win at 6/52.20 on the Bet Builder.

If we are expecting Arsenal to dominate the game and score a couple of goals, there's a good chance that wing wizard Saka and skipper Odegaard will be heavily involved. Last season, Saka averaged 0.82 shots on target per 90 in the PL, while Odegaard's average was 0.89.

Completely Free Acca

If you want to include an Arsenal win in an acca this weekend, it's worth bearing in mind that Betfair are offering a completely free acca every weekend in August.

You could back wins this weekend for Arsenal, Brighton against Luton and Manchester United versus Wolves, and that comes in at 2.01101/100.